Boiler feed-water distributer and cleaner



C. w. RENEAU. l BolLEE FEED WATER msrm'uEE'ANn CLEANER. APPLICATION FILED AUG. I, 191B- 1,383,153. Patented June 28,1921.

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` APPLICATION FILED AUG.I0, I9I8. 1,383, 153. Patented June 28, 1921.

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C. W. RENEAU. BOILER FEED WATER DISTRIBUTEH AND CLEAN APPLICATA" "LEP AUG 98' Patented June 2s, 1921.

@Howe/1d UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. RENEAU, 0F BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO JAMES It. BANKSTON, OF ANGUILLA, MISSISSIPPL BOILER FEED-WATER DSTRIBUTER AND CLEANER.

Application led August 10, 1918.

1o all w hom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. RENEAU, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baton Rouge, in the parish of East Baton Rouge and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful improvements in Boiler FeedlVater Distributers and Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to feed water distributeis and cleaners for steam boilers, the broad object in view being to provide eilicient means for not only distributing the feed water to the boiler but for thoroughly cleaning out the mud, sediment, scale and other impurities from time to time as required.

In the ordinary construction of devices of the character referred to, it is extremely diflicult to successfully and thoroughly clean out a boiler where the boiler is of considerable length. Therefore, I have devised means whereby the feed water pipe contained mainly within the water coinpartment of the boiler is adapted to be cleaned or blown out in sections or zones successively and one at a time enabling the full steam pressure to be exerted on such portions or Zones successively until the entire feed water distributing pipe within the boiler has been thoroughly cleaned throughout the entire length thereof.

lith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as herein described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary sectional view of a steam boiler furnace, showing the feed water distributer and cleaner of t is invention.

Fig. la is a detail vertical section taken through a portion of the structure shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 1b is a transverse section on the line 11b-1* of Fig. la.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section through a portion of the distributer and cleaner.

Fig. 3 is a. vertical cross section through the same, on the line 3 3 of Fig..2.

Fig. el is a detail view of one of the supports for the distributer and cleaner.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the distributei, partly in section and parts being broken away.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 249,338.

ends thereof. The sections of the pipe4 3 may be readily connected and disconnected in relation to each other, the sections being relatively short and thereby facilitating storage and transportation and also enabling the pipe to be thoroughly cleaned out when for any reason one or more sections of said pipe become choked to an extent which will render it impossible to clean out the same by steam pressure.

The pipe 3, as a whole, is formed with feed water distributing outlets 5 arranged at intervals in the length thereof and about equi-distantly from each other. The pipe 3 is also provided with longitudinally elongated steam and water inlets 6 arranged in spiral formation with relation to each other so that said inlets 6 may be successively presented, one at a time to the action of incoming water as will hereinafter appear. The pipe 3 is mounted within a tubular casing ",y which holds the sections of the distributing pipe 3 in perfect alinement with each other and prevents such sections from becoming displaced or disconnected at their dove-tailed jointed ends. The casing 7 is formed in any desired number of sections as shown in the drawings and where the ends of said sections abut, I place a clamping member or strap 8 around the joint as shown in Fig. 3, there being as many straps or clamps 8 as there are joints in the casing 7. Each clamping member or strap 8 is formed in sections having flanges 9 and l0 through which are inserted clamping bolts l1, said bolts also passing through ianges l2 of the sections of the casing T and also through the lower and substantially parallel downwardly extending por` tions 13 of the casing 7, as shown in Fig. 3. Inclosing the structure thus fai' described is a housing l5, the shape of which is illus- Patented June 28, 1921.

trated in F ig. 3, said housing being made in sections provided at the top withianges 16^to receive clamping bolts 17. Thelower edges of the sections of the housing are securedV to a longitudinal series of supports 18, approximately secured at 19 to the bottom of the boiler upon the inside thereof.

Y Y The lower edges of the housing 15 terminate v of the pipe 3 is a rotatable operating shaftl 25 whichV passes through a stuffing box 26 on the 'coupling or fitting 22. F ast on the shaft 25 beyond the tting 22'is a gear 27 shown as ofthe internal type, and meshing with said gear is a pinion 28, fast on a crank shaft 29 provided'with a manuallyA operablecrank handle 30, the shaft 29 being journaled. in a vsupporting standard or` bearing 31.to which is connected by a Vpivot 32 a locking pawl or detent 33 which is adapted to engage in arcircular series of notches 34 in the periphery of the gear 27 for the purpose of holding the gear 27 and therefore the pine 3 in a number of different predetermined positions so as to effect an accurate registration of the inlets 6 with the passage 14 and also eEect an accurate .registration between the outlets 5 of the pipe 3 Y and corresponding outlets 5 in tlietubular casing 7, the latter in order that the feed water may be distributed in the boiler. The notches V34 form graduations in order to en able the operator to accurately position and lock the gear 27 and therefore the piper3.`

35l designates an end thrust ball bearing for the shaft 2 and the distributingand cleaning` pipe 3. Thepipe 3 is additionally provided with a circular series of longitudinally elongated slots Vor openings 36 at a point between the feed water supply pipe 23 A and the blow .olf connection 24.V It will,

ofcourse, be understood that the pipes 23 and 24 will, as usual, be controlled by cut off cocks to'be used in feeding watery to the Y boiler and: for blowing off the boiler.

In the operation of the .device hereinabove described, the valve controlling Vthe feed water inlet 23 is first closed. Then by means of the erankhandle 30, a partial ro,- tative movement is imparted to the operating shaft so as to cause one of the end inlets 6 of thepi-pe 3 to register with the passage 14.V The. valve of the blow off connection isthen opened and after` that the'pipe 3 is intermittently turned by means of the crank handle 30 so as to successively present the' inlets 6 to the passage 14. When the pipe 3 has completed a revolution all of the inlets 6 have been successively presented to the passage 14 and the distributing outlets-.5 are again in simultaneous registration with the outlets 5 of the tubular casing 7. The feed Water supply pipe valve may thenV be again opened and water allowed toiiow through the distributing pipe and-'also through the blow off connection until all of the scale, sediment,mud, and.precipitation have been eliminated, after whielr the blow olf valve is closed. This clears the blow off'valve from scale and other materialso destructive to the life and usefulness thereof. Y.

The openings (iV allow for thepassage of water from the annular space between Ythe pipe'3 and the casing 7, allowingthe water tocirculate back and forth and thereby preventing excessive pressure between the pipe and casing. Extending longitudinally of and within the casing 3 is a spirally twistedknocker or hammer 37 preferably made in sections as shown in Fig. 2, the sections be` ing connected together by coupling means 38; The knocker or hammer 37 is not se'-` cured to anyV other element. On theV other hand it is loose and' unattached, being merely arranged inthe casing 3. 'As the pipe 3 revolves, therknockerfor knocker bar 37, because ofthe friction between the pipelOO or casing 3 and the bar 37 and also because of gravity, turns about its axis or moves sidewise in and against the pipe or casing3 and is also agitated by the water and serves to dislodge any deposits'or foreign matter within said pipe, allowing the .latter to be blown off and thereby keeping said pipe and casing-'clean and clear of obstructing matter.

Iclaimz- Y. Y Y I 1. In means for the purpose described, the combination of a pipe, means to turn the pipe about its axis, and a knocker bar loosely disposed longitudinally in the 'pipe' and in contact with the wall thereof whereby turning of the pipe will be attended by Y movement ofthe knocker-bar in. and against the pipe. Y e

2. The combination with a steam boiler,

of a feed water distributingrpipe'extendingl lengthwise of the bottom of thefwatercom partment of the boiler and having distributing outlets at intervals in its length and also having water inlets at .intervals in its length, said pipe being composed of separable longitudinally alined' sections having 125 dovetailed joints, a tubular casing inclosing said pipe and havingropeningswith which said out-lets are adapted to simultaneously register', a feedlwater supply pipe communicating with said distributing pipe,

a blowoii connection communicating with saiddistributing pipe, and means for admitting water to said inlets one at a time whereby different sections of said distribut-l ing pipe may be blown out successively.

3. The combination with a steam boiler, of a feed water distributing pipe extending lengthwise of the bottom of the water compartment of the boiler and having distributing outlets at intervals in its length and also having water inlets at intervals in its length, and arranged in spiral formation, a tubular casing inclosing said pipe and having openings with which said outlets are adapted to simultaneously register, a feed-water supply pipe communicating with said distributing pipe, a blow-off connection communicating with said distributing pipe, means for rotating said distributing pipe to successively present said inlets for the admission of water, the last named means comprising a shaft extending from one end of said distributing pipe outside oi the furnace, and manually operable means for rotating said shaft, an element of said manually operable means being graduated to enable the positions of the inlets and outlets to be accurately gaged.

4. The combination with a steam boiler of a feed water distributing pipe extending lengthwise of the bottom of the water compartment of the boiler and having distributing outlets at intervals in its length and also having water inlets at intervals in its length, and arranged in spiral formation, a tubular casing inclosing said pipe and having openings with which said outlets are adapted to simultaneously register, a feedwater supply pipe communicating with said distributing pipe, a blow-off connection communicating with said distributing pipe, means for rotating said distributing pipe to successively present said inlets for the admission of water, the last-named means comprising a shaft extending from one end of said distributing pipe outside of the furnace, a standard, an interiorly toothed and exteriorly notched wheel fixed on said shaft., a detent on the standard to enter said notches, and a shaft j ournaled in the standard and having a pinion intermeshed with the teeth of the wheel and also having a crank.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES W. RENEAU. 

